Only 15% of association CEOs/executives currently use AI to create, deliver, or communicate member value.

From screening candidates for jobs, to unlocking your mobile device with facial recognition, artificial intelligence (AI) is everywhere. Even if you haven’t put much thought into how to use AI to better serve your members, your members’ lives have been impacted by AI in their consumption of information and use of different types of products and services. (Click HERE to participate in future polls.)

While early adopters (Google, Amazon, etc.) with the means to invest in the technology were quick to explore how they could use AI to increase engagement and profits, a host of AI applications have made it more accessible to any size organization.

With its many applications in our daily life, it is surprising that a quick poll conducted by Avenue M in mid-September 2022 revealed only 15% of respondents currently use some form of AI to create, deliver, or communicate member value. For those who indicated they are using AI, the primary purpose is to curate and disseminate information based on behavior.

The good news is that associations do not need to develop their own AI applications and your members do not need specialized knowledge to use it.

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Read our quick summary of the following articles and click the links below.

Anticipatory Intelligence: Predicting What Your Members Need
Associations are competing with companies and organizations that use predictive analytics to understand and recommend products based on past behavior and specific data. Although most people who subscribe to Netflix or use Amazon to make purchases are familiar with the use of predictive analytics, many associations have not yet tapped into its capabilities to increase engagement with members.

Get Comfortable with Artificial Intelligence
If your organization scores and keeps track of engagement in its AMS, it is only a few steps away from using this data to predict how likely other members with similar traits may act and respond. “AI analyzes your membership data together to create an evolving membership persona,” Danah Crissy wrote in an Impexium blog post dated May 2, 2022. “This persona tells you what type of member is most likely to be engaged, what motives him or her to become involved, and how much involvement you can typically expect.” The article also points out how AI can help with the onboarding process by pointing new members to resources used by other members similar to them. This critical step in early engagement could lead to higher retention rates for new members.

As Artificial Intelligence Use Increases, Ethics Policies Needed
Organizations interested in increasing their use of AI should consider the following as they leverage the technology to engage with and serve members:

• Organizations must maintain high levels of data integrity and protection.
• The potential for misuse of data exists when organizations collect and use personal data to customize their communications, pricing, or product development.
• Bias, in many forms, is often a source of AI failure. It has been well documented that human bias can be built into algorithms. Be aware of how this can impact recommendations and influence.

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Contributor: Sheri Jacobs, FASAE, CAE, President & CEO

(Image: Adobe Stock)